


Save My Soul: Let the Universe Bleed Scarlet

by LilyandLeather



Category: Rey/Ben Solo - Fandom, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren - Fandom, Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben WILL Save Rey, Ben is Turned on Though, But Rey is still in there, Dark Rey (Star Wars), Dark Rey Tries to Manipulate Ben To The Dark Side, Dark Rey is flirty, Dark Rey still loves Ben, Dark Side Rey, Darkfic, Due to the Dark Side Though, F/M, Grey Dyad, Happily Ever After Fest, Have I driven it home that there is pain but it ends happily yet?, Manipulation, Post-Canon, Seduction to the Dark Side, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:20:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23864410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyandLeather/pseuds/LilyandLeather
Summary: If she couldn’t have Ben in the Light, maybe the Dark could bring Kylo back to her. For the Dark Side was full of mysterious, unknown things, waiting to be discovered.It was time for Kylo Ren to rise again.In a whisper, she promised the Universe, “I will finish what Ben started.” The universe took her love from her, and she was going to seek revenge on the galaxy for Ben’s death, if it killed her.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Kylo Ren | Ben Solo
Comments: 12
Kudos: 14





	Save My Soul: Let the Universe Bleed Scarlet

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Everyone!
> 
> For all of you who encouraged me to do a Dark Side version of Save My Soul, thank you! I'm excited about this project. In considering this fic I had one scene come to me that I wrote up and am going to use as a prologue of sorts. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pay attention to and read the tags as some elements of this fic will be going Dark Reylo vibes and have manipulative elements. BUT do not fret, this will be a Reylo HEA and I intend it to have a satisfying conclusion, just the same. I love all you guys who read and encourage me as I explore this world in my head.
> 
> Thank you loves!

_“Darkness rises, and light to meet it.”_

Rose sipped on her steaming mug of caf as her 6:30 am shift monitoring airspace monitors dragged on. She was incredibly grateful serving droids required no sleep, and provided caf at any needed hour. Sighing of boredom, she groggily glanced over the silent charts and simple diagrams of the empty airspace over the Ajan Kloss base. Over a year had passed since Rey left the Resistance, and 8 months since she dropped off their communication channels. They could not even find the Falcon anymore, as repeated scans of Tatooine AND Jakku turned up no evidence of her presence. Rose wished she would reach out, as Rey was not in the best mental and physical health when she left. The last holo they had of her, she looked thin and pale, almost as if life itself was being torn out of her. Rose was still upset that Poe allowed BB8 to return to base when Rey sent him, but she also understood how hard it is to stand up to a Jedi when they order you around. The morning sun started to peek over the horizon, sending bright lines of light into the room, blinding her if she turned her head the right direction.

A blinking red light on one of the monitors caught her attention as she dodged sunrays, rolling her chair down to investigate the anomaly, she almost tipped over her mug. Soon the one blinking light became four, as three smaller ones joined the larger one appearing out of hyperspace suddenly. Her heart began to race, considering what options lay in front of her in case of an impending attack. She pulled her comm link out of the drawer and hailed Poe, clearly waking him.

“Rose, seriously? At this hour?” She heard a moan from whomever Poe spent the night with, in response to her call.

“Leia never complained when I woke her, General Dameron.”

Poe sighed as he collapsed back onto the bed. “Well General Organa isn’t here anymore, and the burden of leadership is mine to carry now, isn’t it?”

Rose rolled her eyes. For someone burdened, he enjoyed flaunting his role and title quite frequently. “Can you get out of the bed you’re sharing with Force knows who, and get up here? Four ships have appeared on the monitors and we the General if they hail us.” She heard him sigh and the bed frame squeak as he moved to push himself out of bed.

“Go ahead and try hailing them instead Rose, I’ll be there shortly. I’d rather know what they want before they arrive, than wait for an attack.” He closed the link.

“Aye, aye captain.” Rose mumbled to herself. She opened a link and tried reaching out to the ship.

“Attention all craft entering Ajan Kloss airspace, please identify yourself and your purpose.” Rose waited for the other ship to receive and clear her message, most likely waiting until they were in the planet’s atmosphere. In a few moments, a response came back as they continued their approach.

“Rebel base, this is the command shuttle, _Arconan_ , of the Supreme Leader of the First Order. We are requesting your permission to land peacefully and intent to bring no harm onto you.”

“Isn’t that a Jakkuian beast?” Poe made Rose jump with his silent entrance as he folded the color of his jacket down. She shrugged as he approached the comm, resting one hand on the desk, the other on her shoulder in concentration. “Weird name for a First Order ship.” He mumbled under his breath.

“What do you want to do?” Rose asked. “I personally don’t trust them.”

Poe thought for a moment, considering, rubbing his unshaven chin in concentration. “Test them. See if they will comply with a request of only the command shuttle landing.” Rose hesitated, giving Poe a look of questioning, but did as ordered.

“ _Arconan_ , your command shuttle is the only craft allowed to land. NO weaponized ships are authorized to land at this time. If they do, we will be forced to shoot them down. Should this be complied with, you will be allowed to land peacefully.” Rose sent the message, in a few moments the reply came.

“Heard loud and clear Rebel Base. The Supreme Leader will land in her command shuttle only with a unit of Storm Troopers. Other ships will remain out of orbit.”

Poe and Rose blinked at each other and both said, “ _Her_?”

Within moments, Poe and Rose raised the leaders of the Resistance, and were waiting outside, staring up at the sky, as it filled with the black shadow of a First Order command shuttle. The _Arconan_ slowly descended as its large black wings folded up resembling bat, creating an impending U shape against the lightening sky. As the ship landed and stabilized on landing pads, a _shhhhhhh_ sound flooded the outtake valves; releasing steam. The Resistance was not aware a Supreme Leader ascended the throne and lasted longer than a few weeks, as infighting and assassinations appeared to be commonplace in the last year. Most Resistance members were at least slightly curious as to who succeeded in maintaining control and order long enough to establish command. The ramp slowly lowered, and a half dozen Storm Troopers exited, standing guard.

For all purposes, the person who next exited the ship, looked exactly like Kylo Ren, with the exception being they were dressed in a floor length black dress with long strapped sleeves. Striding down the ramp with an air of dominance and command, she wore the same cowl, and the same mask as the former Supreme Leader; the repaired red cracks were unmistakable, glowing slightly brighter with each breath the occupant expelled. Her hands hung in fists at their sides, one brushing a lightsaber, clipped to a wide, but high-wasted belt. Hinged in the middle, the saber was folded, allowing for easy transport, which could be unfolded into a double bladed saber staff if needed. This Supreme Leader stood shorter than many of the gathered throng, and knowing it was a “her”, intrigued everyone standing witness. She stopped at the bottom of the ramp, and looked directly over to Poe, Rose, and the recently arrived, Finn. Pausing her movements to stare at them, she slowly reached up and pushed the cowl back over the helmet, leaving it to hang on her shoulders. Reaching up to the sides of the helmet, she clicked a button, and the mouthpiece jutted out and forward from the body of the mask. With two leather gloved hands, she reached up and took the mask off. Her waist length hair fell in long waves from being locked into the mask for who knows how long, framing her face. The freckles could not be mistaken, but there was a darkness in her eyes that terrified most observers. She carried no emotion in her glances; no familiarity for the individuals standing before her.

“Rey….” Rose whispered out, barely able to form the one word that so many questions were tied to. The silence among the Resistance members dripped with fear, for their former friend was now their enemy. Not just an enemy, but the leader of their enemy. They were afraid to release their thoughts and questions into the universe; not knowing how or why, but Rey, the Scavenger from Jakku, The Last Jedi, was somehow now the Supreme Leader of the First Order. She held the mask in her left hand, and her right rested on her lightsaber, in a wordless threat.

“Hello Rebels. I will be short with my demands today. I understand you are harboring a fugitive of the First Order that I have been searching for several months to find. I demand to speak to him immediately. He will not be harmed in any way.

“She looks . . . . different.” Poe whispered with shock in his voice as he processed the presence of this changed Rey, trying to compute how she commanded a battalion of Storm Troopers. Rose was attempting to figure out how her clothing material and style mimicked Kylo Ren almost identically.

“Is she . . . ?” Finn asked, fear filing his voice as his heart began to race with the consequences of what stood before him.

“Yep.” Rose immediately confirmed the men’s suspicions, and reached for her comm, “Can we get Ben up here. An individual has recently arrived that is requesting to speak to him immediately . . . . and I think he’s gonna want to come as quickly as he can . . . there’s something he needs to see.

In the months since the Final Order was defeated, the Resistance heard rumors of infighting being stifled by the First Order, some planets ravaged of their natural resources, and more horrific things no one mentioned, but they never considered it would be Rey, the former Jedi, leading the destruction. The fire in her eyes was unmistakable, and terrifying.

Poe heard footsteps pounding the dirt running up toward them, and turned his head to see a man standing a head taller than he, move slowly though the gathered crowd, his gaze fixed on one person, and one alone. Ben Solo slowly walked up to the area where the shuttle rested, clearly stirred from his sleep. Wearing nothing but black pants, boots, and a navy blue sweater, he stood open mouthed at the sight of Rey. He slowly walked up to her, yet staying outside reach of her blade, barely breathing as she commanded his former soldiers and ships. Even from a distance away, Poe could sense the uneasiness of the Troopers at the existence of two Force users; one the current leader, and one the former. Realization dawned on Poe at what happened behind the scenes of a war he was totally oblivious to, but now made all the sense in the galaxy.

Ben gazed at the woman, clearly in control of the situation, with a saber at her side he had only seen in his dreams. Nightmares of her destruction that continued to haunt him nightly. His eyes were drawn to her figure, as dread filled him. A question sat on his lips he could not find the words to ask.

Rey’s own breath caught at the sight of him. It had been months since their last contact, and when she found out he was back, her mind hardly believed it. But he was standing before her, within walking distance. His hair grew well past his shoulders, and he had not shaved in weeks. His eyes showed pain, and a general lack of sleep that stung her heart for him. But when they looked over her, there was a spark of hope there, that maybe, just maybe she was back for him. How she hated to disappoint.

“Ben, come.” She reached out her hand for him to approach her, and with confidence he did as she beckoned. Standing within inches of her on this plain of existence was more than he ever hoped for. She reached up with her gloved hand and touched his face in the same way she had so long ago on Exegol, as tears sprang to his eyes. She stood there, looking into them with longing, desire, and love. One hand sat on his face and her future, the other hand grasped her helmet, and their past. They once stood on opposite sides of a war, and the moment they found each other, the Force tore them apart. Now, as they stood on the jungle floor, they found themselves again on opposite sides. Rey’s heart screamed at her with words to say, but the Darkness in her soul, the anger at the Universe preventing them from having a life they both deserved, and her acceptance of the Dark Side, kept them apart. 

Again.

Her love was not strong enough to fight the Darkness this time.

Ben glanced down at her, hardly daring to break his gaze off her eyes. They were still the soft brown they always had been; he knew she was not totally lost.

“Rey, what are you doing?” His voice broke as he searched for answers.

“Surviving.” She responded. “Without you.”

“But why this way? There are other paths to follow . . . Rey, please.”

“It is my blood, Ben, this is what I was born, and we cannot escape our legacy. I tried it, and it was a futile attempt. I tried being Rey Skywalker in your memory, and it did not work. I am Rey Palpatine, and it is my destiny.” She swallowed, trying to maintain composure as he moved closer to her. “The Light took you away from me, and I cannot forgive the Force for doing that.” Ben longed to sit down and discuss the many things running though his mind, but he could feel her logic being clouded by the Darkness, and knew that at present, that would be near impossible. He lived for years with that influence, and was all too familiar with how it affected a person. He desperately needed her to know that what she was saying was simply not true, there was a third way, and he could help her find it. He learned so much in his time away from her, been taught by a number of people who helped him see through the mess of his own actions and mindset. He could be the one to help pull her back from the brink of collapse. But she had chosen her path a long time ago, and she needed to be the one to turn around first. He knew if he forced her to walk in the Light, it would not last, and she would eventually be lost to him. He wanted to talk to her about all of this, but his mind was distracted with other, more pressing questions. 

“Is, this …..?” He glanced down, and placed a trembling hand on her slightly swollen stomach that pushed out her black dress, under her leather belt. He reasoned she could not have been more than a few months along. She smiled at him, as his eyes again met hers filled with questions and tears,

“Your blood.” She whispered.


End file.
